NSA spying on computers not connected to internet

The New York Times is reporting that the NSA has used software it implanted in nearly 100,000 computers to spy on their data, or create the opportunity for cyberattacks even if they computers are not connected to the internet.

From the article…

The technology, which the agency has used since at least 2008, relies on
a covert channel of radio waves that can be transmitted from tiny
circuit boards and USB cards inserted surreptitiously into the
computers. In some cases, they are sent to a briefcase-size relay
station that intelligence agencies can set up miles away from the
target.

Parts of the program were discussed in documents leaked by Edward Snowden, but it was also alleged to have been discussed at a German hacking conference nearly 7 years ago.

The article also says there is no evidence that the N.S.A. has used this surveillance tech domestically.